God Idol Project: Hope [GIPH]

Chapter 12: Did you hear the rumors?

Hanul Entertainment's company building was quite large. Perhaps because of this, it was rare for male and female trainees to cross paths within the building. Except during events like the end-of-month evaluations, it was rare to see each other during commutes. If one made an effort to avoid meeting, it was possible not to encounter each other for a week or even a month.

So these days felt odd. I kept running into female trainees and sensed their glances every time. Furthermore, upon reflection, I noticed that male trainees who weren't close to me would subtly approach or stop talking when I walked by.

"Did I do something?"

After finishing a dance practice session and lying down, I muttered about the strange behavior I had been experiencing. Chorok hyung(a senior) somehow heard my mumbling and realized what I was referring to. It seemed that I wasn't the only one noticing these peculiarities.

"Don't worry about it. The kids are trying to get close to you or are envious because they think you're a genius."

"Huh? Genius? Me?"

"Evidently, Iwon doesn't know. During the end-of-month evaluations, all the trainees were shocked."

Shocked? I couldn't understand Chorok hyung's explanation. Chorok hyung kindly added:

"They must be stimulated because of you. The female trainees heard the rumors and wanted to see your face."

"How did the female trainees find out?"

"We have our own network. Ham Iwon."

If Chorok hyung's explanation was accurate, things would calm down soon. Others would soon realize it was just a rumor.

Until then, I should focus on practicing quietly.

"That's not the main point. Iwon, did you hear the rumor?"

"Rumor? Not about me?"

"You haven't heard? It's not confirmed, but there's a rumor that a new group will debut next year."

"Really?"

"It's not clear if it will be a male or female group, but it's likely to be a male group."

The senior male idol group SEED is in their fifth year, and the female idol group Cornell is in their second year. Considering the debut intervals, it seemed more likely that a male group would debut.

Given that Chorok hyung is well-connected, it wouldn't be surprising if he heard this rumor from somewhere. Although there's a high chance of hearing false rumors too.

But I hoped this rumor was true. It would be better to participate in the debut evaluation and challenge myself even if I didn't make it, rather than waiting indefinitely for a debut.

Suddenly, Park Ha burst in, breathless.

"I was late because I had to go to the hospital for a bit. Sorry!"

"You're not sick, are you?"

"No! My mom was sick, so I went with her. It's not serious, so don't worry."

It didn't seem like he was lying. It was a relief that his mother wasn't seriously ill.

"What were you talking about?"

"A rumor that our company might launch a new group next year. Did you hear about it?"

At Chorok hyung's question, Park Ha's eyes lit up.

"I heard! If the rumor is true, the debut would be next year. They'd probably pick the debut team this year, right?"

"Probably. If the rumor is true, we'll find out soon enough."

"Well, we have no choice but to work hard with debut as our goal."

The rumor turned out to be true. News came that the company planned to debut a male idol group next year.

The male trainees' expressions were a mix of various emotions. There was joy and hope that debut was near, but also worry and anxiety about whether they would make it into the debut team.

I felt the same way. The debut team would be based on five members, and the debut evaluation stage would be like a real performance.

A system that seemed unusual to me was the 'character evaluation' of trainees by each other.

As a newbie, I only learned about this now. It was a kind of self-assessment that was done every two or three months. It was a verbal questionnaire where we explained our sincerity, personality, strengths, and weaknesses with evidence.

"But what if I don't know some of the trainees? How do I write it?"

For someone like me, who had been training for just over a month, it was a challenge. I had only just started recognizing faces and names and barely knew how to greet people.

"If you're not sure, just write briefly! Things like 'good at greeting' or 'saw them late at night.'"

"I'm just glad I know names and faces."

"You're the type who can't even remember your classmates' names, huh?"

"......"

Park Ha's question hit a nerve. I could remember my classmates' names because of the name tags and attendance roll calls. But they were acquaintances I barely knew.

How would I explain that I don't even greet my classmates? From experience, if you start greeting people, it naturally leads to conversations. In the past, I would block attempts to start conversations. After overcoming my complexes and starting to speak, I became too distracted and habitually skipped greetings.

Was not greeting classmates too much? Even convenience store workers get a nod of acknowledgment. I should at least wave from now on. There might be posts later calling me a rude person who didn't greet anyone. If I want to become a celebrity, I needed to behave properly.

"The atmosphere will become tense. The trainees who were relaxed thinking debut was far off will now be fiercely competitive."

That's right. Realizing that everyone is a competitor will fuel their competitive spirit. It would burn brightly with rivalry. I had to survive in that intense environment.

"Then let's also work hard. It's been 5 minutes. Shall we start practice again?"

Chorok hyung was strict about break times, even though he seemed gentle. He was a leader who would recommend us if we debuted together, with a strong sense of certainty.

˚˖✧✧✧˚.

The atmosphere among the male trainees changed.

Their eyes sparkled with energy and passion. Reactions in front of teachers or other trainees became exaggerated. They seemed eager to show off their strengths like peacocks before mating.

The female trainees, on the other hand, had somber expressions.

When I occasionally ran into them, they greeted me weakly, unable to hide their gloom. Perhaps they couldn't erase the hope that the company might prepare a female group.

It would be difficult to prepare a new group right after debuting one. Optimistically speaking, it would be challenging for at least four years.

I could see their anxiousness. The appropriate debut age for idols is late teens to early twenties.

I was also troubled by the thought that this could be my situation.

When my mind was cluttered, dance practice was helpful. After dancing intensely until my workout clothes were soaked with sweat, my worries would disappear.

Whether it was the same for others or if they were focused on their goals, the late self-practice hours were quieter than usual.

The same change was seen during weekends.

Originally, only a few people came in the morning and left late at night. Specifically, it was usually me, Seo-hon hyung, Chorok hyung, Jion, Park Ha, and sometimes two or three other trainees.

Now, most trainees competed to see who stayed at the practice room the latest.

With clear goals, everyone seemed determined to practice until they were about to drop.

After several tense days, I took some time to request a consultation with the vocal teacher.

Inside the consultation room, a trainee I had never seen before was talking with the vocal teacher. A new trainee even at this time? The company must be busy preparing for the debut team's evaluations, so did they hold auditions?

Strangely, the trainee was talking to the vocal teacher in a friendly manner.

Moreover, they seemed very comfortable, as if they had known each other for a long time. There was no trace of nervousness typically felt in unfamiliar places.

Who is this?

As the unfamiliar trainee left after their introduction, I gave a brief nod.

They looked younger than me, with a round and cute appearance, but something about them seemed slightly unnatural.

"Hello."

"Yes, hello. Please go in."

Their tone wasn't cute at all. It was somewhat cynical and carried an air of irritation.

What's this...

The identity of the trainee was revealed the next day.

"Say hello. This is Hong Oran, who practiced with us before and took a short break for personal reasons. And this is our new trainee, Ham Iwon, 18 years old."

According to Chorok hyung's introduction, Oran was a senior trainee at Hanul Entertainment, whom I had just met now.

"Hello. Nice to meet you."

"Hi. Since you're a quick learner, and I'm in my second year, let's speak informally. No need for honorifics over a few months."

Quite prickly. A cute face but not-so-nice personality. It was more refreshing than upsetting. Wasn't Oran quite friendly during the conversation with the vocal teacher? Was I mistaken?

"Oran, you came back earlier than expected! Did you hear about the debut plans?"

"Of course. Even if my arms and legs were broken, I'd come. I couldn't leave the debut team without me."

"Are you OK, Oran?"

"Je-ton, why beat around the bush? Why be cautious? It's not something to be embarrassed about."

It seemed Oran didn't want to reveal why he had been absent from practice.

I didn't care much since I had already accepted it.

Everyone has something they don't want to reveal or find difficult to bring up, including myself. I was more curious about why Ji-on called him "Jeton."

"Ham Iwon. I was away for a little over a month for plastic surgery. It happened to be around the time when my trainee contract was expiring, so I said I'd take about two months off and then renew my contract."

The surgery seemed successful, though there was still a sense of unfamiliarity. The problem was that he returned earlier than expected. I wondered if it was okay to do intense practice in hus unstable state.

"Oh, I see. Is there no issue with the practice?"

"Hah! Is that all you wanted to ask? What a funny guy."

"Oh, so you like Oran too! I knew it!"

Is that supposed to be a compliment? Doesn't that sound like sarcasm in a conventional communication system? But Park Ha, who had spent a long time with Oran, interpreted it differently from me.

"Haha. Oran is just a prickly hedgehog by nature, but he's not a bad person. In fact, he's someone very admirable. You'll find out soon enough."

There was an implicit trust in Seo-hon's weighty words. Even without concrete reasons, I trusted that Seo-hon wouldn't protect someone without cause.

Oran quickly joined our practice. After watching for a bit, I noticed his dancing skills were quite impressive.

One interesting thing was Oran's expressions.

Oran practiced dance with expressive acting, making sure to emphasize the dimples on his chubby cheeks. Where did the person who used to speak with a blank expression go?

His professional attitude was impressive. I thought I should follow his example. Even during practice, he was sincere. For someone like me, who was lacking in details, such expression practice was necessary.

Since I was said to have good athletic intelligence, perhaps I could start practicing expressions by mimicking the movements of facial muscles. As they say, there's always something to learn from everyone.

As a beginner, I couldn't afford to waste time. I immediately started focusing on dance practice and tried to steal glimpses of Oran's expressions whenever I could.

Oran noticed what I was doing and even intentionally displayed his expressions more overtly. I didn't need any acknowledgment or gratitude. I could understand a bit why Seo-hon valued Oran so much.

And then, a week later, the date for the stage evaluation for the debut team selection was announced to the trainees.